| eBay buys Skype for $2.6bn
After weeks of rumours over potential partners for Skype, eBay will buy the VoIP company for $2.6bn in cash and stock, plus a further $1.5bn if Skype meets certain financial targets. eBay is looking for the deal to enhance its current businesses, which include online auctions, classified listings and shopping sites, and electronic payments. For instance, Skype could be used to allow buyers and sellers in eBay's online auctions to talk to each other. The deal will also open up new sources of revenue for the company, including charging for these VoIP calls, and eBay is hoping Skype will help boost its presence in areas such as Japan and Scandinavia. Skype, in turn, could use eBay's PayPal e-payments service to make it easier for users to pay for Skype services.
U.S. cuts funding for crime victims
Victims advocates in the state said they do not expect the drop in federal aid to have an immediate impact, since the grants are spread out over several years. But they said that programs might eventually be forced to cut back on staff and services, especially if federal reductions continue, as some predict.
"Whereas a program might be able to serve 100 people, they may now be able to serve 70 people or 80 people" when the cutbacks are felt, said Rakhsha Hakimzadeh, director of the Office of Victim Services in the state Department of Human Resources, which distributes the federal victim-assistance funds.
Mary McGeady, director of finance and administration for House of Ruth, said nonprofits could not easily make up a shortfall. "There's so many demands on donors to contribute to so many very worthy causes," she said.
LinkShare’s Aggressive UK Growth Continues
LONDON � October 25, 2007 �LinkShare, the global pay per action (PPA) affiliate, search and lead generation marketing company, continues its aggressive growth in the UK with the announcement of four new partnerships. The new customers include Goldsmiths, the largest quality jeweller in the UK, Radisson Edwardian Hotels, as well as the popular and fashionable retailer Kew and PurelyGadgets Ltd., a top supplier of the latest in innovative products before they hit mass market. LinkShare has been in the UK for just one year, but during that time, the company has signed over 35 leading brand name advertisers and a large pool of UK publishers including LEGO, Laura Ashley, Boden, Net-A-Porter and Figleaves.com. LinkShare�s growth has been driven by its unique pool of affiliates, the high level of proactive and dedicated resources they provide to partners, their promotion and ad linking tools as well as the high level of brand control and compliance they provide for advertisers.
NBC's '30 Rock' Suggests Republicans Like to Torture Whales for Fun
You've already lost face with your histrionics. Now we have to tailor our political humor to the understanding of immigrants? This from the side of the ideological spectrum that says immigrants should irrevocably assimilate to our culture? Yeah, that's it, GE is out to slander your beliefs and dupe immigrants into being leftists. That's the kind of long-shot hail-Mary theory that usually gets written up with derision on this site. "He was, and is yet, most likely, the wearisomest, self-righteous pharisee that ever ransacked a Bible to rake the promises to himself and fling the curses on his neighbors." -Emily Bronte .
ReachForce lands $5M to expand development, sales
Austin-based ReachForce Inc. secured a $5 million Series B funding round to continue software development and hire sales and marketing staff. Greenhill SAVP led the round, which included existing investor G51 Capital Management LLC of Austin. Greenhill SAVP is part of investment bank Greenhill & Co. Inc. (NYSE: GHL) in New York. ReachForce has received a total $9.3 million in funding. Steve Brotman, managing director of Greenhill SAVP, will join the ReachForce board of directors. "ReachForce is fundamentally changing the way B2B marketers do business," Brotman says. ReachForce allows sales teams to target potential customers through Web-based software. Salespeople can define their targets by industry, company size and department.
Vision takes more than hindsight
Another was the approval of yet another shopping center along Florida A1A at Chester Road despite recommendations to the contrary by the county's own planning director and engineer. How is it that our city and county commissioners can spend an inordinate amount of time micro-managing various projects, but lack the ability to see the big picture? It seems as if every plan that has the potential to generate more tax revenue gets approved, with very little thought given to how those tax dollars are actually spent. Do we not have the right to expect "vision" to be part of a commissioner's job description? A few long-time residents of the county have told me not to expect much, since "nothing will ever change," even if they're supportive of and ready for some changes. But Nassau County's growth is fueled by "outsiders" who very much have a stake in the quality of life we currently enjoy.
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